God has been kind to Zambia - Sata
God has been kind to Zambia - SataBy Bivan Saluseki in Tokyo
Thu 11 Oct. 2012, 14:00 CAT
PRESIDENT Michael Sata says God has been kind to Zambia.
And President Sata says he is in Japan to solicit for investments for Zambia.
Meanwhile, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda is happy with the diversification initiatives taking place in Zambia.
Meeting Prime Minister Noda at his office yesterday, President Sata said Zambia had been spared from disasters that had been affecting the Asian nation of Japan.
Japan is one of the countries that has had to grapple with earthquakes and volcanoes such as the Unzen volcano in 1991, the 1995 Kobe earthquake, 2004 Niigata earthquake and the tsunami in 2011, which destroyed the Fukishima plant.
President Sata said Zambia was spared from such disasters because God was kind to the southern African nation.
He said God had made it possible for Zambians to live in peace.
President Sata regretted the natural disasters in Japan and the resultant deaths.
He said Zambia was grateful for the support she had received from Japan.
"We have more trade moving from Japan to Zambia," he said before members of the press were ushered out of the closed-door meeting.
Later, President Sata said through his press aide George Chellah that Zambia was diversifying her economy by focusing on key sectors such as agriculture and tourism.
President Sata encouraged Japanese nationals to also visit Zambia as tourists.
He said since Zambia and Zimbabwe would jointly host the UNTWO, Japanese nationals were welcome to participate as delegates.
President Sata said in terms of investment, Kawambwa Tea Company was available and open to Japanese investment.
He said even Japan Airlines should consider working with Zambia in terms of direct flights.
On agriculture, President Sata enticed Japan to look at the Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia and also invest in fish farming.
President Sata paid tribute to Japan for investing in Zambia through companies such as Hitachi.
And in a brief interview with journalists, President Sata said his closed-door meeting with Prime Minister Noda was fruitful and the Japanese would be coming to invest in Zambia.
And Prime Minister Noda said Japan appreciated that Zambia's economy was growing well.
President Sata is today scheduled to meet the emperor and empress of Japan and businessmen before proceeding to another Japanese town - Hokkaido.
Emperor Akihito is a committed environmentalist with an interest in biodiversity and belongs to a workaholic generation which, according to the Times of London, almost views leisure or a wealthy lifestyle as immoral.
Emperor Akihito speaks very carefully to avoid making any promises he can't keep and goes out of his way to avoid statements that can be interpreted as having a political meaning.
He was born in 1932 and was 11 when World War II ended.
President Sata is on a working visit and has since been invited for TIICAD next year.
He is accompanied to Japan by tourism minister Sylvia Masebo, agriculture minister Emmanuel Chenda and foreign affairs minister Given Lubinda.
Meanwhile, Lubinda and Japanese foreign minister Koichiro Gemba yesterday signed two documents that are a precursor to signing of a US$41.7 million loan from Japan for construction of Kazungula Bridge.
Speaking to journalists at Hotel New Otani in Tokyo yesterday, Lubinda said the documents would lead to signing a loan agreement with Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA for meeting projects costs for construction of Kazungula Bridge.
Lubinda said other financiers such as Africa Development Bank would provide a loan of US$78.4 million while the Infrastructure Trust Fund would provide a loan of US$2.4 million.
He said the Zambian government would add US$1.57 million while Botswana would provide the balance since it was a joint project.
Lubinda said the government was excited that the project was now coming to fruition.
He said even after Japan suffered a Tsunami in 2011, the country was still able to render assistance to Zambia.
He said the bridge would enhance trade in Comesa.
Lubinda said Japanese industrialists should consider investing in Zambia and Comesa with 400 million people.
And Gemba said he was hopeful that the Kazungula project would contribute to the economic development of the country.
Labels: MICHAEL SATA
posted by MrK @ 7:32 PM
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